2024 EDGE Josaiah Knight commits to Illinois

Tallahassee (Fla.) Gadsden County three-star EDGE Josaiah Knight has announced his commitment to the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Knight is the nation’s No. 855 overall prospect and No. 61 edge rusher in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 122 player in Florida.

He originally committed to Cincinnati in May before decommitting from the Bearcats later that month.

Knight joins a top-50 Illinois class that currently sits No. 16 in the Big Ten. Chandler (Ariz.) four-star running back Ca’lil Valentine headlines the class as the Illini’s only blue-chip commit.

In addition to Knight on the defensive line are La Grange (Ill.) Lyons Township three-star defensive lineman Eddie Tuerk, Columbus (Ohio) Westerville North three-star defensive lineman Demetrius John, Lewis Center (Ohio) Pickerington North three-star defensive lineman Angelo McCullom and Wheaton (Ill.) North three-star defensive lineman Joe Barna.

Bret Bielema’s staff is fresh off a recruiting cycle where Illinois finished No. 6 in the Big Ten and No. 38 nationwide in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

In Bielema’s second season in Champaign, the Fighting Illini finished 8-5 with a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Mississippi State. Rising star defensive coordinator Ryan Walters left the program following the season to become the head coach at division rival Purdue.

The 6-foot-3.5, 225-pound Knight does not currently have a public On3 NIL Valuation. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.